Carpet-sweeper attachment



Nov. 2o, 1923. I 1,475,100

` R. A. w. WILNER CARPET S'WEEPER ATTACHMENT Filed April 17 ).922 2 Sheets-Sheet l www Nov. 2o, 1923. 1,475,100

R. A. W. WILNER CARPET SWEEPER ATTACHMENT Filed April 17. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVNTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.

RAGNAR A. W. WILNER, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK.

CARPET-SWEEPER ATTACHMENT.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial No. 553,460.

To all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RAGNAR A. W. WIL- NER, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Long Island City, in the county of Queens and State of New York, haveV invented new and useful Improvement-s in Carpet-Sweeper Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to floor cleaning devices and has for its object the provision of a novel suction device for use in connection with and mounted upon a carpet sweeper whereby to apply suction to the rug or carpet treated for the purpose of extracting the dust in a manner similar to the action of a vacuum cleaner.

An important object is the provision of an attachment of this character which may be quickly and easily applied and which will be automatically operated by the movement of the handle toward and from the device as the sweeper is moved back and forth over a rug or carpet.

A more specific object is the provision of an attachment of this character which is mounted -upon the carpet sweeper and which includes a bellows like suction device carrying a receiving bag and having control valves which automatically operate.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install and operate, highly eicient and durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and ad,- vantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cari pet sweeper in action showing my device applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a plan view of my device showing the bag removed,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view,

Figure 5 is a cross section showing the structure `in collapsed position,

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the device in extended position,

Figure 7 is a detail section through the outlet valve and Figure 8 is a detail section through the inlet valve.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the letter A designates a conventionall vcarpet sweeper is operated by means of a handle B by means of which it is pushed back and forth over the surface to be cleaned, the handle naturally swinging in an arc as the device is pushed from or pulled toward vthe operator.

In carrying out my invention I provide a suction device which is of bellows like formation and which includes spaced upper and lower plates v10 and/11 which are hingedly connected at one edge as shown at 12 and which are together hinged upon the carpet sweeper by means of one or more hinges The numeral 14 designates a flexible covering such as leather or the like which is secured tothe edges of the plate members 10 and 11 to constitute the bellows.

Extending downwardly from the lower plate 1l is an inlet tube 15 which communi- Cates with a hole 16 in the bottom plate and which carries a floor engaging suction nozzle 17 which must necessarily be of hollow formation and formed with a longitudinal slot 18, the'construction being similar to that of the inlet nozzle of the vacuum cleaner.

Mounted upon the top of the upper plate 10 is a tube 19 which communicates with a hole 20 and which extends into a cylindrical casing/21 which is provided with perforations 22 permitting the passage of air. Secured to and surrounding this casing 21 is a bag 23 of the material commonly used in vacuum cleaners, that is: a material which will readily permit passage of air but prevent" passage of dust therethrough.

Internally of the bellows the bottom plate 1l carries a flap valve 24 which closes the hole 16 when the .bellows is collapsed. Upon the top of the plate 10 is mounted a similar flap valve 25 which is adapted toopen when the bellows collapsed for establishing communication between the interior of the bellows and the tube 19, it being of course readily apparent that the tube 19 must be enlarged where it connects with the plate l0 so as to enclose the flap valve. Located within they bellows is aspring 26 which operates to hold the plates ll0 and 11 apart or in expanded position.

In the operation it will be seen that under the influence of thespring 26 the bellows will be in expanded -position with its top plate 10 engaging the handle B of the carpet sweeper. When the sweeper is moved back and forth in the usual manner it will be apparent that the handle B will 'swing in an arc with respect to the surface traveled over `so that the bellowswill be alternately collapsed and subsequently expanded. When the collapsing occurs it will be apparent that any air within the bellows will be discharged into the tube 19 and; casing 2l into the bag, the air issuing from the latter and the dust being retained therein, the flap valve 24 being at this time closed. When the pressure of the handle against the bellows ceases, the spring 26 will expand the bellows whereupon` the valve 25 will close and the valve 24: will open to suck air and dust through the nozzle 17 into the bellows. This cycle of operations continues as long as the carpet sweeper is in use.

From the foregoing description and a study ofthe drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very simply constructed and easily applied vacuum cleaning attachment for carpet sweepers which will be automatic in operation and which requires no power in addition to the manual labor involved in pushing the carpet sweeper back and forth over the surface to be cleaned. In'this way it will be seen that the device should be very effective and in fact moreso then most of the common vacuum cleaners as. it is Well known that carpet sweepers are provided with rotary is nothing to brushes which pick up the nap While loosening any accumulation of dust. Owing to the simplicity of construction and the fewness of the parts it is apparent that there et out of order and that the device should ave a long life.

`While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is of course tobe understood that I reserve the right to make such changes' in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub-joined claim.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

A vacuum cleaner attachment for sweepers consisting of a bellows having a movable leaf carrying a hinge adapted to be secured upon the top of a conventional carpet sweeper, a spring normally tending to expand the bellows, the movable leaf of the bellows being designed for engagement by the pivoted handle ofthe carpet sweeper during movement of the sweeper whereby to compress the bellows, an inlet nozzle of elongated formation designed to engage the floor at one edge of the carpet sweeper, a pipe supporting said nozzle and leading into the bottom of the bellows, a flap valve at the entrance of said pipe into the bellows, an outlet pipe on.the movable leaf of the bellows, a flap valve controlling passa-ge of air into said outlet pipe, and a perforated housing surrounding said outlet pipe and designed to support a dust collector.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RAGNAR A. W. WILNER. 

